The welfare of our pupils is the school’s paramount concern.
As a school we must do all we can to ensure that children are protected
from harm both within the school and beyond our direct control.
In any school there is the possibility that pupils will show signs
and symptoms of abuse or will disclose to staff that they have been
abused. The Children’s Act 1989 lays down certain requirements
about how staff must deal with these situations. The following notes
are intended to provide parents with a brief outline of our advice
to staff on how to handle disclosures and to provide guidelines
for dealing with such disclosures that must be followed by all employees
of Caterham School. In line with our statutory obligations the interests
of the child must be paramount, though the school will also wish
to take account of the interests of other pupils, staff and parents.
Symptoms of Abuse
In the Staff Handbook, issued to all staff, clear guidelines are
issued as to identifying possible symptoms.
Action to be taken:
1. Suspicion of abuse from observation
Any teacher who is concerned about a pupil based on any outward
symptom must ensure that the Child Protection Liaison Officer (The
Deputy Head) is informed.
2. Disclosure of abuse by the pupil
Where a pupil actually discloses that he/she has been abused the
following guidelines must be followed. The teacher should listen
carefully to the child; they should ask open-ended (i.e. non-leading)
questions; they should record anything that is said and they should
refer on to the Deputy Head. If the Deputy Head is unavailable then
the Headmaster or the Senior Teacher/Head of Boarding should be
contacted. The Deputy Head would then, in normal circumstances,
contact parents before making a referral to Social Services.
About
Us
